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  • Posted:
  • July 25, 2024
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Photo taken from the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Georgetown, Guyana | Photo by Joshua Gobin on Unsplash

Embracing God’s Story For Me: Rhoda’s Journey

Growing up was a bittersweet time in my life. My story began in Linden, Guyana where I was born to a single mom. I grew up in a household with seven other siblings. While my mom was not a Christian, she insisted that we attend church every Sunday. Our household was one of chaos, laughter, sadness, and loneliness. My mom, being a single parent, had to leave home early and get back late every day, leaving the older kids to take care of the younger ones—which did not always work well. Fear and hunger often ruled. It was during those times that my little mind would start searching for something to hold on to.

As a child living in the countryside, I knew what it was like growing up without electricity. The darkness was frightening, and to make matters worse, there was always some family friend who would stop by to see my mom and tell stories of folklore, which I would take literally and freak out! When there was a full moon, the nights would light up, and my older sisters would point out a man sitting on the moon, saying that it was God.

My first time in a church was when I was around six years old. A loving pastor named Miller and his kind wife would come around and invite us to church. My mom never attended, but she made sure we did. I have many beautiful childhood memories from that church. After a few years, Pastor Miller and his family were sent on another missionary assignment to a faraway place, and another pastor came on the scene. My older siblings did not take to this new pastor, so we stopped attending church. But looking back, I can see the hand of God directing the situation and writing my story.

My mom was often moving from one place to another in search of cheaper apartments to rent, so when she moved into this new apartment on the other side of town, it was nothing new. We soon found out that a tent church was only two houses away. At the time, the church was held in a tent that leaked when it rained, but we children loved it. The pastor, called Brother Bristol, was a kind and loving man. He made it his duty to come around the neighbourhood and knock on every door, asking folks to come out to the Sunday services. My mom sent us, and that was where I met Jesus at the age of twelve. One year later, I was baptized.

Things were great, and I was really learning about God and my faith. Then my mom moved again, this time to the city. It was devastating; I lost all my young Christian friends and my loving pastor and church family. Soon, I started a non-Christian lifestyle and became the mother of three children. In desperation, I cried out to God for help. He heard me and answered my call. I was soon back in fellowship with another church family.

I now had kids of my own and that meant I had to support not only myself but my kids. I decided to answer the call to do National Service. This service was designed to train the Guyanese youth to use weapons, military drills, and skills for life. There was a threat from neighbouring Venezuela to invade Guyana at that time, hence the weapon and military training. I graduated from my stint and became a service woman in the organization. This lasted for three years before I left for Trinidad and Tobago, where I met my husband.

Houses on the hillside in Morvant, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago | Photography by Kenrick Baksh on Unsplash

Life was good. Things were different; I now had a partner, and I was feeling complete. My church life was growing, and I saw God move in so many different ways—in provision, in opening doors, in shutting the mouth of the enemy, and in giving peace, mercy, and grace where needed. There was a downturn in the job sector in Trinidad, and my husband, being a steelworker, left for the United States at the invitation of his uncle. He soon found a job, and also another family, and he had three children.

The hurt was great. I was confused and downcast. Again, I sought the Lord. Once more, He heard me. This time, I knew I had to hold on to God alone with all I had. It was a very challenging time, but God brought me through it with flying colours. During this time, I started seminary, doing evening studies at my local church in San Juan, Trinidad. After three years of studies, my class graduated, and I was awarded an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies from the Bethel Bible Institute in New York. My husband returned home, but things only became worse as we weren’t getting along anymore. There was abuse that followed, which prompted me to leave Trinidad and Tobago in 2018.

I was invited to Canada by a family member. I soon got information on applying for refugee status, which I did. It was determined that I was a person in need of protection under the Domestic Violence Act, and so it was granted. My file is still active as I have not yet received my Permanent Residency. It has recently been approved, but the actual document is still forthcoming. I am unable to work as I don’t have a SIN number, so this is a great challenge for me as I am facing rent, phone bills, and TV bills. The last report I got about the PR is that a virtual one is supposed to be sent to me by email anytime around September to November. So my prayer is that this would be sooner rather than later.

I think God is teaching me patience and dependence on Him alone. Going through all of these turmoils, I see Jesus. I see God leading, guiding, and making the way for me. My encouragement to new believers is this: God does not have favourites. He loved us even while we were still in our sins. The story we believe in the most is what is going to guide our lives. Trials will come, and temptations will always be around, but if you put your trust in Him—the One True God—He will not let you down. What He has done and is still doing for me and others, He will do for you too. Trust and obey!

Thank you, Rhoda, for sharing your story!

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